Cargo ship burning off Dutch coast towed to new location in North Sea

Clyde Hughes
·1 min read
1
Dutch authorities on Monday said a cargo ship burning off the Netherlands coast arrived at a new location in the North Sea. Photo courtesy Rijkswaterstaat
Dutch authorities on Monday said a cargo ship burning off the Netherlands coast arrived at a new location in the North Sea. Photo courtesy Rijkswaterstaat

July 31 (UPI) -- A cargo ship burning off the coast of the Netherlands was towed to a new location on Monday, Dutch authorities said.

Rijkswaterstaat, part of the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, said the Fremantle Highway cargo ship arrived at its new destination north of Ameland and Schiermonnikoog.

The ship was towed to the new destination "without any problems" and currents helped it arrive earlier than scheduled while smoke development "remained minimal" throughout the process.

It was not immediately clear where the ship would ultimately settle, as Rijkswaterstaat said the final destination would depend on the situation onboard, weather conditions and the availability of a port with the proper facilities.

The vessel caught fire off the coast of the Netherlands last Tuesday, killing one person and injuring several others. Injured crew members were lifted from the ship by helicopter to receive medical treatment as some inhaled smoke or sustained other injuries as the boat was evacuated.

A tug boat begins to tow a freighter Fremantle Highway in the North Sea on Sunday. Photo by Kustwacht Netherlands Coast Guard
A tug boat begins to tow a freighter Fremantle Highway in the North Sea on Sunday. Photo by Kustwacht Netherlands Coast Guard

Rijkswaterstaat said the towing began Sunday afternoon, with two tugboats pulling the vessel as "smoke from the freighter diminished considerably."

"We do everything we can to limit the damage to people and the environment as much as possible," Rijkswaterstaat said in a translated statement.

The ship was carrying more than 3,000 vehicles and Dutch media reported that the blaze may have begun with one of the 25 electric vehicles onboard. The Coast Guard, however, said the cause of the incident was still under investigation.